As a mom, I’m always on the hunt for family outings that are fun for everyone without requiring military-level planning and twelve snacks packed in advance. And honestly? Our recent Pittsburgh Pirates game day at PNC Park was pretty much the perfect family day from start to finish.
This writer was hosted by the Pittsburgh Pirates, but all opinions expressed are her own.
Before we even left the house, the kids were excited because we signed them up for the Pirates Insider emails and the Bucaroos Kids Club. (Highly recommend if your kids love baseball, free stuff, or basically anything exciting arriving with their name on it.)
The fun started before we even got to the stadium. We tailgated beforehand, soaked up the perfect Pittsburgh weather, and played a very intense game of 'Heads Up' on someone’s phone that got increasingly competitive. Nothing bonds a family quite like yelling random clues across a parking lot while strangers laugh along with you. |  |
Even the walk to the stadium felt exciting. The city was buzzing, families were everywhere, and PNC Park somehow managed to make every game feel like a summer event instead of just “going to a baseball game.”
 | When we entered the park, the kids each got the giveaway item for the day — packs of Pirates baseball cards — and they were SO excited to open them once we got to our seats. It immediately turned into trading cards, comparing favorites, and that kind of old-school fun that somehow never gets old. |
Our first stop inside? The Team Store, because Mario absolutely needed a new Pirates ball cap. Naturally. |  |
 | We also stopped by Guest Services to grab the kids’ Bucaroos welcome packs, which made them feel like official Pirates insiders for the day. |
Then came the exploring.
We climbed the pirate ship. We checked out the kids’ broadcast booth. The playground was a huge hit. We ate ice cream because baseball calories obviously don’t count. And somehow every corner of PNC Park had something fun happening for kids and families.
And honestly? The actual baseball was incredible, too.
The Pirates absolutely KILLED it and completed the sweep against the Twins, which made the energy in the stadium even more fun.
The fireworks after every Pirates home run had the kids jumping out of their seats, and the celebration after the win was electric. We also fully embraced this year’s “Hoist the Cones” slogan, because by the end of the game we were emotionally invested right along with the rest of Pittsburgh.
One of the absolute coolest moments of the day was seeing Mario and Mila’s names up on the big screen! Parents — you can actually order personalized messages/shoutouts right from the Pirates website ahead of the game. Such a fun little touch, and the kids were absolutely THRILLED seeing their names in lights at PNC Park.
And speaking of parenting tips: if your kids want to do Kids Run the Bases after the game (which happens after every Sunday home game), start heading toward the playground area around the beginning of the ninth inning. The line gets LONG fast, and future-you will be grateful.
By the end of the night, we were exhausted in the best possible way — tired feet, sticky hands, full hearts, and a camera roll full of memories we’ll laugh about for years.
Sometimes the best family adventures are right here in Pittsburgh.
Thank you, Pittsburgh Pirates, for giving families such a fun, welcoming, memory-filled day at the ballpark!
To grab your tickets to the next Pittsburgh Pirates Family Fun Day, please visit pirates.com/mackid
